Snap switch



y T. A. BOTH SNAP swITcH y Filed sept. 5, l1922 @if M IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

l out of order.

l l provide simple an the insulating block being broken away, and

. 40 anism ofFig. 4.

' 50 mounted.

Paelaea July s, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENTv oli-FICE.

P:comas A. Born, oiil s'riwrronn. eoNNncrIciiT, assiale-on Iro 'rim coNNi-ac'ricucr imac-V TLRIC MANUFACTURTNG COMPANY, BRIDGEPOBT, CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORA- '.lIIlON 0F CONNECTICUT.

, sNA1 s wi'.rcH.

Application illed September 5, 1922. Serial No. 586,158.

This invention relates to electrical switches with binding' posts 15 adapted forV connec- 4 and particularly to switch mechanism ofthe tion with the lead wires, notshown.' :Extendsnapl action type and has for an object tov -ingacross the o en side of the block and sei provide aswitch operating mechanism cured thereto y any suitable -means, as 6' which is simple in construction, and com-` screws 16, is a supporting yoke 17. provided prises comparatively few parts'. It is a furwith threaded openings 18 to receive .screws ther object of the invention to provide a 19 for securing the face p1ate-20over the switch mechanism whichmay be easily asswitch mechanism. This face plate has an sembled and disassembled and which inay opening, 21 through which thelever 22 pro- 10 be manufactured at /a comparatively low jects for operating the switchf mechanism, l V.presently to be described. `The yoke alsoy cost.

lt' is a still further object of the invention has transverse slots 23 to receive screws for to provide a switch mechanism which will be attaching the same in the usualoutlet box.

reliable in 'operation and not veasily gottenv '24 arranged substantially parallel vand ex- It is also an o b'ect ofthe invention to tending into the recess in the block. The

effective means for m. wings are substantially hooked shaped at The yoke 17 is provided with spaced wings soA v dicating the position of .the switch elements. 'their inner ends and are each provided with With these and other objects in view I a curved notch 25 with inclined shoulders 2 6 20 have devised the mechanism illustrated inv and -27 extending from the Opposite Sides 0f the accompanying drawing, in which these notches. A- contact carrier 28, c oin- Fig, 1 is a. top plangview of my switch prising a substantially Hat bar or bridge showin'ga portion of the face plate in posipiece of drawn stock, has Oneedge thereof tion, and the indicating means. in rocking engagement with the n otches Fig. 2 vis a side elevation 0f the. Switch with the other edge adapted to-swing about mechanism shown in Fig. 1 the side wall of' are so arranged with respect' to the notches the elementgbeing Shown (me extreme PQ- 25 that When in extreme pOSllDlIlS Contact sition, A carrier or bridge piece.. 28 will rest against 1 therefor, as shown in Fig. 2; Y

Also pivotally. mountedjon theiwiiigs 24' by any suitable means, as pin 29, is a rocker comprising parallel plates each of which through the switch mechanism of Figs.-

and 2 showing the elements in .the position they occu y immediately prior to the move-V mentof t e switch element. 35. -i aslightly diil'erent construction but looking CeWe the reduced ende 32'Q P1133- This Afrom the. other side ofthe switch mechanism. P111 1S embraced byV e Coded-spuug 34 between Fig. 5' is `asubstantially central vertical transverse, section through the switch mechfenlS 35. adapted t0 extend lhleugh Opellms Y ad]acent the ends of the oppositely exten ing 'arms of a resilient stiirup -36. This irriip is substantially V-shaped infcross Fig.,6 is a top plan Vview of the rocker removed, and Y r 3 'is ai longitudini Setioal View the shoulders, and they will act as limitstops' Fig. 4 is a, view similar to Fig, 2 .showing has at its inner end a recess 31 adapted 'to retheitwo plates 30, which jhas Aopposite free f Fig. 7 is aitoplplan viewpf'a portion of Section 21S-Shown and adllffel'fo engage at the face plate yot ig. d showing the l'ation. 4 5 ofthe' indicatin mechanism.

Referring `to igs. 1, 2 and 3, numeral, 10 i indicates a supporting blockmade 'of suitable? Ile 28 'may be Secured 0116.01 11101'6 SWltCh insulating material and provided with a recess 11 in which, the switch mechanism is its apex the Swinging edgie Ofjthe contact .carrier`28.`

block are stationary contact elements 12 and ,COltaCt Qall'ef by nletal Plate 401 theelldS Of 13 secured in the block b any suitable means the Celllel bemg llpet'es ShOWB at Over such as screws 14, ande ectrically connected thls Plate- The SWltCh elemellff 37 1S Sfl'- T o either or both ends V:('if-thecontact car- Agalements? secured to -a'plate 38 preferably suitable rivets 39, this head being prefer'-v Secured at :Opposite ends of the lgly of insulating material and secured to the ranged to be moved into engagement with and from the stationary contacts 12 and 13 to close and open the circuit in the usual manner.

Secured to the rocker 30 is the operating handle or lever 22 so arranged that by swinging this lever the rocker will be swung about its pivot 29. This lever projects through an opening 42 in the yoke 17 and also the opening 21 in the face plate 20, the openings 21 and 42 being in alignment. On opposite sides of the lever or handle 22 are substantially plane surfaces 43, arranged at an angle to the lever substantially the same as the angle of the lever to the'surface of the face plate when in its extreme position. These surfaces are also of such a size that when the rocker is in extreme positions it will move alternately into the opening 42 in the yoke 17 and beneath the opening 21 in the face plate. As this opening is smaller than these surfaces it will be closed thereby producing a neat appearance and effectively preventing entrance of dirt through the opening in the face plate. Arranged on the plane surfaces 43 are indications 44, such as On and Oli, which are visible through the opening 21 in the face plate when `the locker is in its extreme positions and indicate the position of the switch element.

The operation is as follows:

In assembling, the rocker is pivoted by` means of the pin 29 between the wings 24 of the yoke and the contact carrier 28 placed with one edge in the notches 25. rup 36 is then vplaced over the swinging edge of the carrier, the free ends of the spring 34 inserted through the ends of the stirrup, and the reduced ends of the pin 33 inserted in the recesses 31 of the rocker. As the spring is under tension this pin will be retained in these recesses by the action of the spring as will be obvious.

As the pin 33 is located eccentric to the pivot 29 swinging of the rocker on this pivot will swing the spring about the ivot, and also about the swinging edge o the contact carrier 28. Assuming the elements are in one extreme position, as shown in Fig.

2 with the contact carrier resting against Vthe contact carrier.

Vthe switch element 37 with the carrier.

one of the inclined 'shoulders as 26, the movement of the lever upwardly to the dotted line position will swing the center of the pin 33 through. the center line 45 of Asit moves through this center line it willtransfer the pull of the spring to the other side of the carrier and swing its free edge to the other estreme position against the shoulder 27, swinging As the center of the pin 33 is also eccentric to thenotches 25, the movement thereof from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the center line 45 of the carrier will increase its The stirdistance from the free 4edge thereof, and will thus wind the spring and place it under increased tension by drawing its free arms 35 toward the carrier. Immediately the center of the pin 33 passes through the center line 45 this spring tension will be ex.- erted to swing the contact carrier toits other extreme position. Moving the lever 22 in the opposite direction will impart reverse movement to the elements and they.

will operate in the same manner but in a reverse direction, to move the contact carrier and the switch element back to their original positions. Fig. 3 shows the position of the elements on this reverse movement just as the center of the pin 33 is passing through the center line 45 of the carrier. In Figs. 4 to 7 I have shown a slightly different arrangement of the indicating mechanism and the operating lever for the rocker, the switch mechanism being, however, the same as that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. In this construction the rocker 46 is substantially U-shaped having the parallel spaced legs 47 provided with the recesses 31 carrying the pin 33 and the spring 34, this rocker being` pivoted on the wings 24 of the yoke 17 by the pivot pin 29 as in the lirst switch construction. The -operating handle, however, is preferably a metal rod 48 having a knob 49 and is reduced at its inner end at 50 to provide a shoulder 51.

This reduced inner end is riveted over to stantially equal to the angle of the lever to the plane of the face plate 54 when in its extreme positions, so that when the lever is in its extreme positions the portion of this plate on the opposite sides of the lever willbe positioned alternately in the opening 18 lUU lll)

in the yoke and immediately under the opening 554 in the face plate to close the same. These positions of the plate 53 carry indications 56 to designate the positions of the switch. The opening 54 in the face plate is preferably substantially the shape as shown in Fig. 7 to allow for insertion of 4 I the knob 49 of the operation lever, and to present a neat appearance.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the switch mechanism is simple in construction and comprises comparatively -few parts, and may be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled. As it is simple and comprises few parts, it will be of comparatively low cost to manufacture, will be reliable in operation and not easily gotten out of order. The indicating mechanism isalso very eifectve and provides closing means for the opening in the face plate through which the operating lever extends andpso will protect the switch-mechanism from dirt, which would otherwise en .ter through this opening.,

Having thus set forth the nature of v`my invention what I fclaim is:v

1. In a device of the class described,'a supporting yoke having Wings provided with connecting the carrier and rocker including a spring, and a pin support for said spring carried in therecesses in the rocker and held therein by saidspring. 'y 2. In a device of the class described, a support, av switch element pivoted in said sup-A z port, a rocker -pivoted in the support'and 4provided withnotches, -a pin carriedin'said notches, a spring mounted upon v'and carried by said pin and connected withfthe :switch elei'nent to operate the same, said spring arranged to notches.

3. Ina device of the character described',

a.support, a switch element pivoted in the- `support, a rocker pivoted in the support and provided with notches at one s ide thereof, a pin in said notches, a coil spring embracto operate the same and said spring arranged to hold the pin in the notches.

-' 4.,In.a device of the character described,

a yoke lhaving supporting Wings provided Awith'notches, a Contact carrier comprising a flat bridge piece having one .edge in rock- .ing engagement with said notches, a rocker pivotedin said Wings and provided with ref cesses atl one side thereof, a pin Vin said recesses, a coil spring embracing said pin and I providedA with freeends, meansvconnecting the free ends of the 'spring with theiccnf` tact carrier to oscillate the ,same and arranged to draw `the pin into the notches and hold it therein.

5. In a device ofthe character described,

a yoke having supporting lwings, provided with notches, a contact carrier comprisingv a iiatbridgepiece having one edge in rocking engagement with said notches, a rocker pivoted inthe said wings and provided with notches, a pin in the notches in the rocker, a

Vcoiled spring embracing said pin and-having t1. ffff'ee arms, a, stirrup extending over the other edge of th'arrier and connected with said i' free arms,

said spring and stirrup constituting 'operating means from the rocker to the carrier and also meansA to hold the pin in A thegsaid notches.

6. In a device ofthe character described, a yoke having supporting wings provided with notches, a contact carrier comprising a dat bridgemiece having one edge in rocking holdthe. pin in ,said

engagement with said notches, a rocker pivoted in the said wings and provided with.

notches, a pin in the notches in the rocker,

a coiled spring embracing said pin and hav-Y .ing oppositely projecting free arm, a st'irrup extending vover the other edge of the carrier having free arms extending on opposite sides thereof andconnected with the free arms of the spring, said spring and stirrup comprising-an operative connection between. 'the rocker and carrier and also a means for holding the pin in the notehes.v

7. In a device of the character described,

a support, a rocker ,pivoted in said support q and provided with notches spaced from said pivot, aacontact carrier mounted to oscillate in said support between the ivot and the notches, al pin carried in said) operating means connecting said pin vand carrier vincluding a tension spring.

8. In a'device of the character described, a yoke having supporting wings provided with notches, a rocker, a pivot for the rocker at the open sides of said notches, said rocker having notches located on the other side 'of the wing notches and opening away from thesame, a -contact carrier com rising a fiat bridge member having -one e ge in rocking engagement with 'the wingfnotches, a pin carried by the rocker notches, and a spring carried by said pin and having operative connection with the. other edgeofsaid carrier. v

9. In a device of. the character described, a yoke having su porting wings provided with notches, a roc er, a pivot for 'thesrocker notches, and

at thle open sides of said notches, said rocker having notches located on the other side of the wing notchesand opening away from the same, a'I contact carrier comprising a fiat bridge member having vone edge in rockin Iengagement with the wing notches, a coile l spring'embracing said pin and having oppositely projecting free ends and a stirrup enithe contact car'- to the free ends of the s ring. I Y

10. In-a device ofthe c aracter described, a support having anV opening therein, a switch element, a rocker, aghandle extending through said opening and connected to said rocker for operating same, a pin carried by said rocker, a .spring embracing said pin and provided with free ends having connections with the switch element to oscillate the same when the rocker is moved to operating position.

a support having an opening therein, a switch element, a rocker, an operating means connecting the switch element and rocker including a spring with free ends supported on said rocker and connected to the switch element by a stirrup, and an operating handle attached'to saidrocker and extending 11. In a device of the character'described,

through the opening for operating the switch.

l2. In a device of the character described,

e, support having an opening therein, e

5 switch element, :L rocker provided with an operating handle extending through smid support, e pin carried by said rocker, a coil meinen spring embracing said pin and provided with free ends having connections with the switch element to operate the saine when the 10 rocker is moved t0 Operating position.

In testimony whereof I uiiix my signature.

TONJES A. BOTH. 

